Dunn claims Pats didn’t want Welker

Posted by Mike Florio on March 17, 2013, 6:59 PM EST

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Once the 2013 season begins, one of the biggest story lines will flow from the incessant comparisons of the performance of former Patriots receiver Wes Welker in Denver to former Rams receiver Danny Amendola in New England. Regardless of any other variables, the raw data — catches, yards, touchdowns — will in the minds of many shape the perception as to which guy is “better.”

Until then, the battle of perceptions will relate to the question of whether Welker quit the Patriots, or whether he was fired.

Curran recently reported that the Pats had a deal in place with Amendola on Tuesday, before Welker opted to sign with the Broncos. But the Patriots presumably reeled in Amendola only after realizing that Welker wanted more moolah than his age, skill level, and position justified.

So if the Pats opted to move on, it’s because Welker wanted too much. Of course, Welker’s camp can now claim that the offers extended to the player proved that the Pats didn’t want him.

At this point, none of it matters. The Patriots signed Amendola — and the question becomes whether Amendola can do something close to what Welker did.

In the end, the real question is whether the Patriots will be able to do something they didn’t do during Welker’s time with the team: Win the Super Bowl.

Whats the big deal…The pasties did what they do…they used up WW as much as they could and let him go…simple as that… I know pastie fans don’t want to hear this, but it’s gonna happen to Tom Terrific at some point…that’s what keeps BB and Kraft on top of the game…

“Curran recently reported that the Pats had a deal in place with Amendola on Tuesday, before Amendola opted to sign with the Broncos”

I believe it should be before Welker opted to sign with the Broncos.

insider7 says:Mar 17, 2013 7:12 PM

The Patriots cannot be heard to argue that Welker was seeking too much money at $6 Million per year because they paid him over $9 Million last year. He suffered no significant injuries in the interim and performed at an all pro level. There was something personal going on. So Bob Kraft should stop lying about it.

Okay after listening to you guys rant on Welker all week and repeatedly stating your disbelief that the Patriots would not match 2 years for @12 million.

I don’t understand that you don’t get it. Dunn is right.

The two prior years that Welker came to New England he had a total of less than 100 catches. Brady and the offense had as much to do with his 100 catch season here than he did. Wes is great. I am not taking anything away from him. When he got here he was quick, sudden, elusive, side stepped hits and basically you could not tackle him. Let’s face it you watch the games – He is not that player any longer. He is getting hit harder and more often. He can’t keep it up and when he starts catching the meatballs that Manning is tossing out there in the cold weather I fear for him.

Amendola may not be as great as Wes was when he got here but he is more like the Wes that came from Miami. He arrives here with about 100 more career receptions than Wes. I think if we give him a chance we will fill the role quite nicely for the next 5 years.

This was not as much of a pissing contest as some would make it. When it got to free agency they looked at who was available and made a business decision. Faced with the choice Welker or Amendola? Amendola is the smarter play and the Patriots moved on.

Dunn you may have overplayed your hand but when it got to free agency the Pats looked at the field and made their choice and there was no going back to Wes. He was done. If you wanted him to stay in New England Mr. Dunn you should have made the deal last year. Too late stop whining.

matt14gg says:Mar 17, 2013 7:16 PM

This is David Dunn’s response to misreading the market. He’d rather not admit that he did his job poorly, so much like Dumervil’s (ex) agent he will blame the team (the Patriots). This, of course, ignores the fact that the Patriots offered more money last year to Welker and he (or more accurately his agent) turned it down thinking they could get more. The Pats this year, once again, offered the same contract to Welker that they ended up giving Amendola and he turned it down. At that point the Pats told Welker they were moving on and came to the agreement with Amendola on Tuesday. Welker then got the offer from Denver, and still went back to the Patriots to see if they would top it, and they rightly (since they had already made a deal with Amendola) said “no thanks”. At that point Welker came to terms with the Broncos and did the press conference, which looked more like a hostage video. Once again, the agent screws up and blames the team. I expect he will be quietly fired in the coming months.

David Dunn is some agent. He has one of the best Wide Receivers in football and Welker still does not have a national endorsement deal to speak of.

“Curran recently reported that the Pats had a deal in place with Amendola on Tuesday, before Amendola opted to sign with the Broncos.”

Amendola signed with Broncos?

jonnydapat says:Mar 17, 2013 7:27 PM

I stated on this post last year that i felt that Wes Welker would be surprised this year when he did’nt get the 3-5 year 8-10 million contract from any team. It seems he and his agent grossly over valued the market on him. Now the agent is trying to spin his departure from N.E. to deflect his poor job performance, and Wes Welker’s true value on the current NFL market.

So Welker wanted a 3 year deal for 24 mil. the Pat’s offered 2 years for 10 mil + a additional 6 mil in incentives. Welker signs for 2 years 12 Mil. w/ the Broncos. Hmmm it seems to me that Dunn priced his man welker out of Foxboro

Pats offered him the best deal in terms of total value. Welker thought he was worth 8m a year. Pats offered him the same deal they did last year: 2 yes at 16m. But this time only 10 of it was guaranteed and the remaining 6 was incentivized on par with his performance level showed over the last 6 years. He stood to make more with the pats but insisted (or maybe his agent did) that he was worth more than 8m a year. He soon found out he was wrong. As for the pats, they couldnt sit around waiting for Welker to come to terms with this fact. Welker new this and by the time he could re-position himself with the pats, he was too late and had to settled for what he could. In this case, 6m a year with a contender. Time will tell, but ultimately, it looks like both sides lost out and had to make do with what they could in the given market.

ampats says:Mar 17, 2013 7:44 PM

The problem that Welker’s camp does not want to admit is that Dunn did not read the amrket correctly and that is why Welker is not a Patriot.

Last year the Pats offered a 2 year deal worth 16M. Welker turned it down.This year the slot is .worth 5-6M. I love me some Wes Welker but any Pats fan knows in retrospect he doesn’t drop that pass thru his hands in the Ravens game, point being his skills have begun to decline.

The Pats don’t play on past accomplishments and that is why this team has reloaded and continued to being a playoff team.

And that is why BB is paid to run the Pats,emotion aside.

Iknoweverything says:Mar 17, 2013 7:44 PM

That classy organization that sues old ladies cause they cant afford their season tickets any longer is pathetic.

Greedy Bobby Kraft and Cheater Bill are the lowest of the lowest.

tombradyallday says:Mar 17, 2013 8:17 PM

the demise of wes welker in new england came when he dropped that pass in the superbowl and when he dropped the 3rd and 8 in the afc championship

surfinbird1 says:
Mar 17, 2013 7:42 PM
Last week,Kraft said he would like Wes to be a Patriot for life,and they wouldn’t match 6mil/yr.??
I would say they didn’t want him. Liar.

———————

It’s called class. Would it be good for anyone to slag Welker in the press? No. does Kraft have any obligation to tell the press what really happened? He doesn’t.

TheWizard says:Mar 17, 2013 8:26 PM

Year too early / year too late.

It’s an old saying in the NFL, and it applies here.

msully1117 says:Mar 17, 2013 8:41 PM

Oh man. Its freat as a patriot fan to listen to the pats haters. Pats have played the market perfect so far….ya ya spygate, havent wona championship in 10 years, blah blah blah, you realize how bad it sounds?

tedmurph says:Mar 17, 2013 8:42 PM

No zimman, Dunn had it wrong and overshot the market. Matt has it right. Dunn is just covering his butt. The Pats, rightly or wrongly, offered Welker 2yrs guaranteed for 10 mil. They thought, since they paid Welker 9.5 for the tag last yr, the deal amounted to 3yrs for 19.5. Dunn came back with 3 yrs for 24 mil vs 2 yrs for 12, different zip codes. Pats talked to Amendola’s agent over the legal tampering weekend as a fallback. When Welker hit the FA mkt 4pm Tues , the Pats moved on. Denver,who originally wasn’t interested in Welker, was solicited by Dunn because they were left out in the cold’ the Pats already had a deal with Amendola. Maybe the Pats didn’t want Welker, the good D’s were shutting down the Pats offense over the middle in the playoffs and something needed to change. But, if Welker wanted to stay, which I think he did, he got bad advice from Dunn We’ll see if it was a mistake or not.

dlk47823 says:Mar 17, 2013 8:50 PM

kraft lied to Welker…
Belicheck lied to Welker
Kraft lied to TB
BB lied to TB
All of the lying is never good for morale…..

nzayir says:Mar 17, 2013 9:09 PM

The Patriots offered Welker a two year 16 million dollar deal last off-season that he and his agents turned down. Which is much more generous then what Elway gave him. The fact of the matter is that once this year’s FA period started the Patriots moved onto Amendola. They didn’t want to be in a situation where both of their slot receiver options would go to other teams.

Welker and his agents misread the market that the Patriots correctly predicted would be soft for him. If Welker could go back in time he would have accepted the Patriots’ contract offer last season. You can blame Belichick and the Patriots all you want but the numbers bear out their side of the argument. Welker got a lot of bad advice.

The 2yr/16 mil offer last year was BEFORE Welker signed his franchise tag. After he signed the franchise tag of $9.5 mil , the team pulled the 2/16 offer off the table and offered Welker a lesser deal.

Welker priced his way out of New England. Much like Seymour , Samuel, and Branch did.

I understand this is a business but wow… I mean the Pats just do not care for or about their players at all. Its not like Welker is 32 and catching 60 balls. Dude produces every year. When Tommy (by the way i hate when the talking heads call him that) just sounds stupid… anyway when Tom Brady is done the Pats are gonna be in for rude awakening. Gonna be fun watching it to. When they start to loose this way of treating players is gonne come back to haunt them. When you are winning 6 games in a season players are gonna bail. It will be here before you know it.

harrisonhits2 says:Mar 17, 2013 10:15 PM

“Iknoweverything says:
Mar 17, 2013 7:44 PM
That classy organization that sues old ladies cause they cant afford their season tickets any longer is pathetic.

Greedy Bobby Kraft and Cheater Bill are the lowest of the lowest.”

Really ? They took a guy who was an undrafted free agent that no other team wanted and made him a star and a very wealthy man.

Yeah really low.

Go ahead and hate the Pats, we all have other teams we hate, but at least get a clue about what you’re hating instead of just blindly sputtering on about the mean ol’ Pats.

I hope Emmanuel Sanders reads some of these comments from ownership, Boston media, and the so-called “fans” of the Pats before signing any offer sheet.

They couldn’t get rid of Welker and his 6 years of league leading stats fast enough, and the town practically threw a parade for Bob Kraft for kicking him to the curb.

Talk about a toxic environment. No wonder baseball players don’t want to play for the Red Sox. They would have to deal with the people of Boston.

mrphelps01 says:Mar 17, 2013 10:47 PM

As a dedicated Pats’ fan, who, in site of myself, will continue to root for and support the team, every negative word that has been uttered on here about BB and RK is absolutely true. Just leave Brady out of it. He’s a great competitor who they also saw fit to stab in the back. Go Wes!

Everything else is just hyperbole. Welker didn’t resign and based on the contract he signed with Denver, he was either offered the same or slightly less from New England.

Should the Patriots have resigned Welker based on his chemistry with Tom Brady, who at 35 probably has five more elite seasons in him? Perhaps, but after the Super Bowl loss and the backlash and then the franchise tag season, it just felt right for Welker to move on to Denver, where he’ll be paired with another older elite QB. The Patriots are rolling the dice with Danny Amendola, a Welker clone who can’t seem to stay healthy. Both teams will be fine, though, so there really isn’t anything more that needs to be said.

As a Patriots fan I have watched “great players” come and go over the years… and they usually disappear on their new team’s roster. Over the last 6 years I’ve come to love Wes Welker, even though he dropped a pass that would’ve brought home a 4th Lombardi, but his time in Foxboro is over.

As many great things as he accomplished during his run as a Patriot, at the end of the day he was nothing more than a product of the system. Why wasn’t he drafted? Why did the Chargers cut him? Why was Miami so willing to trade him to a division rival (who they spend every season trying to catch) for no more than a 4th round pick? The answer to all of these questions, is because before he dawned the Flying Elvis, he was nothing more than an undersized white receiver who wasn’t good enough to do anything other than field punts. If used correctly, Welker is a beast in the slot, and I’m sure Denver knows exactly how to use him… but he’ll be 32 when the seasons starts and that doesn’t bode well for a guy who makes a living catching passes over the middle and headlining “jacked up” (if it was still around) 5 or 6 times a season.

The Patriots are the epitome of “the next man up” and always seem to just plug a new guy in and keep on trucking. Danny Amendola is only 27 years old and has very big shoes to fill taking over for Welker. If he can stay healthy, he will take over the slot position quite nicely and 2-3 years from now when Welker is a shell of his former self, this deal is going to look like a steal.

Amendola didn’t replace Welker. Tom Brady didn’t re-work his contract so they could blow Welker’s doors off with a mega deal, he did it so they could sign him to a 2 year 10 mil deal and still bring in Amendola and re-sign Aqib Talib. At the end of the day Wes Welker was a fan favorite and I will never forget the many great memories he left us with, but he has nobody but his agent has nobody but himself to thank for over hyping the market for a 32 year old slot receiver and pricing him out of New England.

Patriots aren’t worried about what fans think,especially dolphin or jet fans that are waiting/hoping for them to come back to the pack.their system in the salary cap era is tried and true. Unlike dips$&! owners and GMs that build with overpriced stars and nobodies behind them, Kraft and BB build solid teams 1 through 53 plus practice squad. Their success over the last 12 yrs (20 for Kraft without BB) bears it out.

tedmurph says:Mar 18, 2013 12:21 AM

Sorry forthelove, that’s a bad point too. Vrabel and McGinest, although great players for the Pats, were toast when they let them go. Although nostalgiac fans would like teams to pay their players forever, for the Pats, it’s about winning FB games. These guys made a lot of money in their careers. The Pats just don’t do the free scholarship program like, say, the Raiders used to do. Some of these guys have value to their new teams as mentors. Even Seymour, who never drank the BB koolaid was a good mentor for the raiders. But, instead, the Pats paid Wilfork, in my mind their 2nd most important player, and drafted Solder. Stop it with the loyalty BS, these guys made their money and moved on. The people(and players looking for the most $) that think the Pats are cheap don’t get it, they spend near the cap every yr, they’re not Cincinnati. They just don’t overpay and get top heavy, like the Coltssed do, for example. Or, for all the nostalgia, ASamuel. Bet if Philly had to do it all over again, they wouldn’t have given him that contract.

bigalhebdman says:Mar 18, 2013 12:51 AM

Anybody want to bet that when Brady retires, so does Belichek.

stevequinn says:Mar 18, 2013 1:53 AM

The handwriting was on the wall for Welker when he dropped the potential game-winning TD in the end zone against the Giants in the 2012 SB.

I love how all the pasties fans are now bashing WW like he had nothing to do with 110+ catches per year. Of course it was all scheme and the great Tommy that made WW. He had nothing going for him (only getting 74 receptions in Miami his last year with NO quarterback). And suddenly Amendola is a better option….hehehehehe

patriotenvy says:Mar 18, 2013 9:52 AM

Now lets see if Payton starts fixating on Wes and throwing to him for short yardage, even though another guy was open down field, because he is not mentally connected with that receiver.

CKL says:Mar 18, 2013 10:00 AM

All these people who want sentiment to be the biggest part of NFL contracts, I hope you guys don’t run businesses. If you do, and base decisions that impact your business on a day to day level in a big way on sentiment you are not going to be successful.

Anyone who watched WW’s first presser in Den and knows how WW is could tell he was upset. I think the Pat swanted to keep him and he wanted to stay and the agent blew it. Don’t forget, WW’s Denver contract has an easy out for them after year one while the Pats offer from what I know did not. Pretty sad to misread the market so badly when there’s a legal tampering period now.

FinFan – NOBODY on this blog said that Amendola is better than Wes Welker. Stop being a hater.

Kraft DOES want Welker to be a Patriot for life, but he isn’t going to over pay for that to happen.

I’m sure Peyton Manning and the Broncos will try to blueprint what the Patriots did with Welker and have mild success with it (until they meet the Patriots that is).

Brady did not restructure his contract with the sole purpose of resigning Welker. The contract Brady got was actually a really good deal for Brady as it is all guaranteed money and he doesn’t have to go anywhere.

The Patriots are extremely smart about how they spend money and draft and BB is very good at developing players and finding ways to make them shine. It’s what he does – like him or not.

Although they haven’t WON a championship in the past 10 years, they are still considered one of the elite teams in the NFL – only 1 play – TWICE of having 2 more rings.
They aren’t going anywhere anytime soon as they have a great core of young players and they still know when to spend $ and when not to.
Do they make mistakes? Of course – but they are few and far between and that’s what keeps you on top in the NFL. When you make bad draft decisions and over pay for players – you have the Philadelphia Eagles (no offense Eagles fans – just a good example).

Stop with the ridiculous “Patriots are cheaters and liars and they are going down the tubes” crap.
They are one of the best teams and will be for years to come and this move to let Welker go was not popular but neither was letting some other high profile players, but it’s proved to work out in their favor – hasn’t it? (Randy Moss comes to mind as one of the most recent players that got let go and had everyone’s panties in a twist)

Stop hating people. It’s a business deal that Dunn and Welker got the short end of the stick on. They could have pulled the trigger last year and didn’t. Sucks for the fans who love Welker and we all HOPE that Amendola does well as his replacement.

The Patriots cannot be heard to argue that Welker was seeking too much money at $6 Million per year because they paid him over $9 Million last year. He suffered no significant injuries in the interim and performed at an all pro level. There was something personal going on. So Bob Kraft should stop lying about it.
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Not too intelligent, huh insider?? They paid him what they HAD TO by law last year, you mental midget. Which has NO correlation to what they should have to pay him this year, you dim-wit. You insinuate with ZERO proof that there was something going on, and that Kraft is lying. WTF do you think you are; making claims that you have NO way of knowing??? Assumptions are for idiots- like you. Seein’s how you’re so brainless, I’ll give you a bit of wisdom; Wes was dropping balls at TWO TIMES Danny Amendola’s rate, and Danny is younger, bigger AND faster!! Something was going on alright, you friggin clown-boy! It’s called making business decisions based on risks assessed from the law of averages. But as you probably change tires at Wal-Mart, you wouldn’t know about such things.

tigerlilac says:Mar 18, 2013 12:48 PM

Dunne failed Welker in four respects.

First, he did not cut a deal when the timing was optimal, that being in 2012.

Second, he did not deliver what Welker wanted, which was to stay with the Patriots.

Third, there is a large opportunity cost to Welker in losing endorsements and the post-career opportunities that he was sure to receive if he stayed with the Patriots.

Finally, instead of saying I screwed up he is covering his backside by saying the Patriots did not want Welker. In doing so he does Welker a further injustice.

That classy organization that sues old ladies cause they cant afford their season tickets any longer is pathetic.

Greedy Bobby Kraft and Cheater Bill are the lowest of the lowest.
————————————————————
Tell the truth; you don’t know anything. Every single thing you said is a lie. You just hate on the greatest sports organization in America the last decade plus because it’s not your team. You gonna cry some more?

kraft lied to Welker…
Belicheck lied to Welker
Kraft lied to TB
BB lied to TB
All of the lying is never good for morale…..
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So is this why you troll a Patriots’ article? Because your morale is low from all the lying to yourself? No lies were told by any Patriots people. The only OTHER “lying” done was from Dunn to Welker. You should try to grow up some day.

Ummmm… In case you guys missed it, Welker had the second most dropped passes in the league last year. … I feel like there’s just a bunch of haters who don’t watch football if it’s not their team and just regurgitate anything the talking heads say. Get your facts straight people. … Welker was good but he was nothing until he came to New England… He barely had 100 receptions total in his two years prior. Brady made Welker, not the other way around. … Besides, Brady won his Super Bowls WITHOUT an all-star receiver and hasn’t won one yet when there was one on the team. (Not that Welker is one. Just sayin.) … Pay attention because all the hate is very unbecoming.

Oh yeah, and I don’t know why you think this move is going to hurt Brady… Maybe you’ve heard of his TE, Rob Gronkowski?? Or maybe Aaron Hernandez who is a TE but could play the slot if needed?? Yeah the guy that Welker got mad about taking away his receptions in week one of last season. You sound like a bunch of scorned lovers hating on the Patriots, when you clearly have no clue what you’re talking about.

I love how all the pasties fans are now bashing WW like he had nothing to do with 110+ catches per year. Of course it was all scheme and the great Tommy that made WW. He had nothing going for him (only getting 74 receptions in Miami his last year with NO quarterback). And suddenly Amendola is a better option….hehehehehe
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I haven’t seen ONE Pats fan belittling Wes. Why do you need to lie? And not ONE fan said Danny is better! But I do see that you are here on these Pats’ articles all the friggin time trolling away like a junior high school punk. I hope you’re less than 15, because you aren’t representing any more intellect or maturity than that. “patsies”? Really? Child, please.

The Pats just signed their own tombstone. Welker was almost as important to them as Brady, but they will find that out when they can’t find the new guy in position to catch many passes.
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I LOVE it when morons who know NOTHING about the Patriots come to one of OUR teams’ stories and expose themselves as a total as$clown, childish hater. You wouldn’t know these things.. but we made a HUMONGOUS discovery in the Houston play-off game. Shane Vereen was the fastest receiver with FABULOUS hands on the team!! Phil Simms was commentating, and informing us viewers that he’d watched the practice sessions earlier in the day, and was blown away at Vereen’s ability as a WR!! And an insider told him that He’d been doing it consistently for a loooong time now. A little secret!! It was just now time to bring it. I’ll tell you one more secret, there, ya meathead: We have a future star in Jeremy Ebert. He was signed last year. When we signed him I watched his youtube videos from his college plays. He is like Danny Amendola; bigger AND faster than Wes, and he looked like a friggin clone! His top speed was amazing- so he could actually leave people behind going in after the catch!! Let me tell you one more good story, you idiot: Jake Ballard looked like a Gronk clone before he got hurt in NY!!! Holy crap- that would open up Herndo as a receiver!!! And the Pats are considering Emmanuel Sanders, who is a potential star WR. And there’s the draft. So I’d worry much more about your own garbage team if I was you. Oh wait!! You are! hehe

dwightmlee says:Mar 18, 2013 2:37 PM

Out with the old and in with the new – standard operating procedure for the Patriots under the current brain-trust. And it used to work. Now it gets them into the playoffs and sometimes far along – but no super bowl wins in years… maybe a tweak to the approach might get them past that last hurdle to the trophy…

rc33 says:Mar 21, 2013 2:52 PM

“Welker was almost as important to them as Brady” may be the single dumbest statement in the history of the internet.
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